Agreed, or look at the 1680 red vers 1680 white dial....

Re: What's the difference between a 5512 and 5513...

September 14 2007, 8:45 AM

Based on my limited knowledge, the 5512 (the chronometer version of the 5513; otherwise identical, excepting the sometimes annotated dial) was produced in smaller numbers.

Of course, relative rarity has almost nothing to do with current-day collector pricing. Take, for example, the IWC MK XI of which many thousands were produced and compare it to the far superior JLC MK XI which was produced in two batches for a total number of ~2700 units: hyping by IWC has boosted the prices of their model to stratospheric levels compared to the JLC. I suspect a more-or-less analogous situation for the 5512 vs. the 5513.

Difference between 5512 and 5513

September 14 2007, 10:35 AM

The 5512 was a chronometer movement the 5513 was not. But this doesn't mean that 5513 are not capable of Chronometer standards.

As far as desirability goes, there were much fewer 5512s produced than 5513. Since Rolex doesn't release production numbers one can only guess at the actual amounts produced. But if you figure pricing that put the 5512 closer in price to the 1680, which offered a date, than to the 5513. There was little justification to buy a 5512. Either save the money and buy a 5513, or spend a little more and get the 1680.

Early 5512 & 3s shared the same movement (cal. 1530) but as improvements were made to the 15xx movements, such as microstella regulation and a Breguet overcoiled hairspring, Rolex developed a cheaper all-purpose caliber for their non-chronometer watches (i.e. those that would never be submitted for testing), the cal. 1520. The cal. 1520 has conventional "stick" regulation and a flat hairspring and this is the caliber found almost exclusively in the 5513 from the mid-late 1960s until the end of its production during the "L" series, ca. 1990.

Meanwhile, the 5512 was fitted with the cal. 1570, considered one of the greatest mass-produced automatic movements ever made, from the mid-late 1960s until the end of its production, ca. 1978. Obviously, it was always chronometer tested & certified.

Lastly, the 5512 has several more dial variations than the 5513, particularly in the gilt/gloss era. Check out the Archive to see what I'm talking about.

Some examples of both models to illustrate a few contrasts between the two references:

1961 5512:

1964 5513:

Early 1970s 5512 & 5513:

Obviously, personal taste will play a part in whether you feel a 5512 is worth a premium over a like 5513. But to me, the 5512 is a real collector's watch well worth seeking out.
Best,
T.